Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Michelin Americas Truck Tires for its Product Line Strategy in the Wide-Base Truck Tires Market

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• Langue: English

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Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Michelin Americas

Truck Tires for its Product Line Strategy in the

Wide-Base Truck Tires Market

PR Newswire

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, June 5, 2012

- Michelin's innovative and extensive lineup of wide-base tires covers a high

percentage of heavy-duty truck applications, driving adoption

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California

,

June 5, 2012

/PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent

analysis of the wide-base truck tires market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes

Michelin Americas Truck Tires with the 2011 North American Frost & Sullivan

Award for Product Line Strategy for developing a wide array of application-

specific, robust products that help fleets reduce operating costs through fuel

and weight savings.

The MICHELIN® X One® line of wide-base tires combines advanced rubber

technology with innovative casing architecture to provide a unique solution to

fleets and owner-operators, helping this relatively new product make the

transition from a niche option to a mainstream one in the commercial trucking

industry.

Initial concerns about the fledgling wide-base network—the limited availability

of these products at dealerships meant longer downtime in case of tire failure—

has given way to acceptance in fleets over the past three years. The key

drivers for uptake are rising fuel prices and growing awareness about the

advantages of wide-base tires, particularly in the fuel-sensitive Class 7-8 long-

haul sector and the weight-concerned bulk-hauling segment.

"Michelin's continued commitment to spread the benefits of wide-base tires has

led it to strategically improve the distribution and service support of these

products across

North America

, enabling fleet customers to opt for wide-base

tires instead of traditional dual tires," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst

Kumar Saha. "The wide-base tires market is currently estimated at 2 to 2.5

percent of all replacement and retread tire sales and has the potential to grow

to about 6 to 7 percent of total tire sales by 2017, given the sustained high cost

of diesel and stricter fuel-related regulations."

Michelin is perfectly poised to leverage the rising demand for wide-base singles

for several reasons: the diversity of its product lineup, its strong product

support network, and most importantly, its leadership in spreading awareness

about wide-base tires and developing customer trust in the product.

The MICHELIN® X One® line of wide-base tires consists of six core products;

four of these offer superior weight-saving options for highway drive, trailer, and

vocational applications, while the other two enhance fuel efficiency for highway

drive and trailer applications. In addition to the depth of Michelin's product line,

the company has nurtured a wide customer base by providing industry-leading

maintenance, replacement, and retreading support as well as fine-tuning its

products to further augment value for its clients.

While Michelin's closest competitors have proactively increased their product

coverage in the past few years, none offers the range of combinations and